Reflections and goals

If I listed all my goals we’d be here all day, but aside from the obvious “finding balance”, I’m working to manifest a couple other things for April. I’m hoping to finish two more bird book paintings along with the written parts for those. I’m hoping like many creative endeavours, the book will transform into its own character as I write it. I’ve noticed a similar thing occurring with paintings, I often tell students that one of the tricks with watercolour painting is, not to force it in another preconceived direction, but allow it to take shape naturally. I believe this is our subconscious coming out through our paintings or whatever creative thing we are working on. It’s our inner voice wanting to be expressed and or seen, and that is what makes a creative work truly unique. So I’m interested in applying this same concept to writing. I’ll admit that I don’t have formal experience with writing but have always quite enjoyed it, as a child “being an author” was on the list of things I wanted to be when I grew up, alongside being a marine biologist so I could talk to Dolphins and having the ability to fly. Funnily enough, being an artist was never on my list, but we’ll delve into that another day.

What are your creative goals for April? Do you have any? Or is it simply, that you will make more time to be creative?

A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed to my business this past month, whether it be purchasing art classes in their many different forms, buying a painting or greeting card, or recommending my services, your contribution however small is always very appreciated. Because of you, I get to do what I love for a living.

So here’s the line up of workshops and other bits for April…

April Upcoming workshops…

Adults:

In case you didn’t know I have started running some adult’s watercolour classes on a casual basis. In my usual approach I have designed classes that would be suitable to both beginners and the more experienced artist. The classes can be done as one off “taste testers” of different watrcolour techniques, with completable projects within the class time frame. You can also book one class, two class or three class tickets to save on booking fees. If booked in multiples the classes act like a short course covering a wide range of watercolour techniques

All classes will either be run at the Hahndorf Academy or ThePaintbox depending on numbers. Saturdays 10 - 12 30

April 6th: Painting florals: layering and lifting techniques, exploring shape and texture for both Australian and European botanicals

April 13th: Painting fruit still life, layering primary colours and lifting techniques for highlights

April 20th : Watercolour effects: using salt, and other mediums with watercolour to create certain effects that can be applied to landscapes and other subject matter

April 27th: Painting a small simple landscape: learn how to paint the texture of distant trees and a hilly landscape, we will cover trees, sky and hills as well as composition and focal points.

You can book for these workshops here: Adult's watercolour workshops

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Kids school holiday workshops:

These school holidays I am heading to Kangaroo Island for some much needed RNR and copious amounts of bird watching! But I am back on the 18th and will be diving straight in to the school holiday program on the 19th. I have some really fun stuff planned including paper craft classes and a special class for EARTH DAY on the 22nd, see below for more details…

Friday 19th 10am - 11:30pm: Pen drawing -Longwood Institute - detailed creatures Ages 9+

Learn different pen drawing techniques to get some fine detail into your drawings. If you are wanting to improve your drawings of animals and made up creatures, this is the class for you! During the class you will learn how to create a variety of textures with fine liner pens including fur, scales, spikes and more, you will then create a drawing of your creature of choice learning to use shading techniques as well as your new texture techniques.

Monday 22nd - 10 - 11:30: Earth Day watercolour Oceanic creatures - Longwood Institute - Ages 6+

This Earth Day workshop we will be celebrating, the wonderful creatures inhabiting our Oceans. Come and learn how to paint some of our beautiful local marine life and learn about how you can help look after them by reducing plastic waste in your home. $7 from every ticket sold will be donated to "The Ocean cleanup" The Ocean Cleanup is an international non-profit project developing and scaling technologies to rid the oceans of plastic.

Tuesday 23rd - 10 - 11:30: Leaf print animals - Hahndorf Academy - Ages 6+

Collect some of the beautiful autumn leaves around Hahndorf and use them to print with. We will then turn our leaf prints into animals and creatures by adding pen drawings.

Wednesday 24th - 2 - 4:00pm Teens Linocut printing - The Summit community centre (booking link to come)

Thurs 25th - 10am - 12pm: Carousel book making - The Paintbox - Ages 8+

Create 3D Carousel books using thick cardstock, book binding string, collage and your own drawings. These books are 3D and stand alone, you rotate them to look inside. You can pick the theme of your book or stick to the theme of “Strange Aquarium” for which there will be guidance and example drawings.

Friday 26th 10 - 12:00: Origami secret puzzle pouch - The Paintbox - Ages9+

Learn how to create a folded paper puzzle pouch. Origami Tato is a form of Origami that creates items for use. In this case an envelope like pouch or wallet for containing flat items or secret notes. These pouches came into existense a long time ago and were adopted by Europeans in the Victorian era as ornate ways of sending love letters and secret notes. Decorate your piece of paper with whimsical drawings and hidden notes, letters or even instructions. Learn how to fold it in to a small complex envelope like purse.

You can book in for these workshops (except the summit workshop here:

Shool holiday workshops bookings

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My own art and creative endeavours…

I often have an inner conversation about simplifying my life, but then, when I think about it, simple doesn’t always fly with living and working creatively. It is messy and cluttered and at times disorganised. As I have mentioned before, its a constant struggle to attain balance. But sometimes I think I just need to stop and appreciate my messy life, because messyness can contain many a beautiful and enjoyable unexpected thing.

One unexpected thing…

Painting a mural in Scott Creek. Luckily there is not a tight time frame on this one, I can go when I have a spare morning, be amongst the beautiful natural environment and bird song of one of my favourite Adelaide hills areas and continue my natural scene unfolding slowly on a friend’s corrugated shed. I do murals occasionally and quite love the different process to watercolours. The request for this one was to turn the shed into a weathered wooden look shed with native trees and plants in front of it, along with the owners Doggy Rebus who sadly passed away last yr and of course lots of birds flying and perched. Here it is so far.

April Upcoming Markets:

The Longwood Autumn Market

April 28th The Longwood Institute hall Bradbury 10am - 3pm

I have done this market many times, and I really love it. Its small, quaint, with a lovely community feel. I’ve also come across some sweet little items there, lots of stalls with talented kiddos selling beautiful handmade items like gorgeous pen and brush holders I bought for my studio made by a boy who collects wooden offcuts and logs from his property, cleans them up and drills holes in them. There’s usually plants veggies and handicrafts and local artists like myself, selling their wares. There is also always a baked goods stand and cheap but yummy toasties for sale made in the hall kitchen. It feels like a proper country market with lots of affordable things.

Its definitely an undiscovered gem, you could come by on the way to or from the bigger Stirling Market held on the same day .

I am working on adding stickers and Magnets to my wares in order to have some different more accessibly priced items. I am also in the process of painting some new work of different creatures…shock horror not birds! Come along to see…

Just doing this newsletter has really highlighted to me, how many plates I am actually spinning. I think it really does help us all to take stock every now and again of the sheer number of roles we play in our lives, both work and personal, and as a result give ourselves a break and tell those critical negative voices to go for a nature walk…

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